If you have ever placed a sports bet at 20Bet, you would have heard about the sharp and recreational bettors. But what are these words supposed to mean? More importantly, why should you care? To keep it simple, think of two types of sports bettors entering a sportsbook: one dead set on making money, and the other just here for a laugh. The first is a sharp bettor. The second…? You guessed it: a recreational bettor. Now, let’s dive deeper into how they operate, what separates them, and why sportsbooks love and fear the other.
Who Are Sharp Bettors?
Sharp bettors, also called “sharps” or “pros,” are the people sportsbooks don’t want to mess with. They are not playing for entertainment. Their goal is to win money long-term.
Think of sharps like professional poker players. They don’t rely on gut feelings or pick teams based on their favorite players. Instead, they study the game like a science. They analyze stats, track betting lines, and use cold, hard data to find value bets that most casual bettors overlook.
A sharp bettor doesn’t just bet on big games or popular teams. They usually do the opposite. If the public is betting heavily on one side, sharps look for hidden value on the other. That’s because they understand the odds better than most people. They spot when a sportsbook has made a mistake and bet accordingly.
Here are the crazy party bettors who don’t always win every bet. But they win enough over time that sportsbooks take notice. If a sharp bettor consistently makes smart bets, the sportsbook might limit their wagers or even ban them. Yes, sportsbooks don’t like sharps because they cost them money.
Who Are Recreational Bettors?
Recreational bettors, also called “public bettors” or “casuals,” are the lifeblood of sportsbooks. They make up most of the betting market, and the truth is, sportsbooks love them.
Why? Because recreational bettors mostly bet for fun. They pick teams based on favorites, gut feelings, hype, or media narratives. Maybe they bet on their hometown team or because their favorite player is playing.
They don’t track betting lines. They don’t study advanced statistics. They don’t shop around for the best odds. They just want some excitement while watching a game.
And guess what? That’s fine! Betting can be a fun form of entertainment. However, the problem is that most recreational bettors lose more than they win. They fall into traps like:
- Betting with emotions instead of logic
- Chasing losses (betting more to recover lost money)
- Taking bad odds just because they like a team
- Overreacting to news, injuries, or hype
Recreational bettors keep sportsbooks profitable. That’s why sportsbooks set odds to take advantage of public betting trends. If most casual bettors are betting on one side, the sportsbook adjusts the odds to maximize their profit.
How Do You Know If You’re a Sharp or Recreational Bettor?
Ask yourself these simple questions:
- Do you track your bets over time and analyze your win/loss percentage?
- Do you compare odds across multiple sportsbooks before placing a bet?
- Do you base bets on statistics and probabilities rather than emotions?
- Do you avoid betting on your favorite teams because of bias?
You are a sharp bettor if your answer to most of these was yes. On the contrary, no answers mean you are a recreational bettor-categorization, which is fine.